Exploring The Burden of Suicide among University of Lusaka Students

Abstract

Suicide is a tragic act in which an individual takes their own life. It is a global public health concern, with approximately 703,000 people dying by suicide each year. This makes suicide a leading cause of death worldwide, surpassing diseases like malaria, HIV/AIDS, breast cancer, homicide, and war. Suicidal thoughts are a common experience, with the majority of people having transient or brief episodes of such thoughts at some point in their lives. Suicide accounted for more than 1% of all deaths in 2019.The main objective was to explore the burden of suicide among university of Lusaka students. This study used a qualitative design method .data was collected from final year school medicine and health science students at UNILUS using focus group discussions. The respondents were chosen using a data saturation and convenience sampling procedure, the data collected was analysed using thematic analysis. A total of 48 respondents took in the discussions, The findings revealed that emotional distress and various social stressors were significant factors leading to suicidal ideation and suicide, with sub-themes including experiences of abuse, interpersonal relationships and mental illness. Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that the burden of suicide is a significant issue among University of Lusaka students. The study has shed light on the factors that contribute to suicidal ideation and the challenges that students face when seeking help. The findings also highlight the need for targeted interventions to address the mental health needs of university students in Zambia.